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Newsflash

Coloradoans Against Resource Destruction volunteers are very active. See the Events menu for a list of upcoming events that we are either sponsoring or attending. Contact us if you want to help us stop uranium mining in northern Colorado.

Coloradoans Against Resource Destruction (CARD) and its NunnGlow website were initially developed in response to Powertech Uranium Corporation's proposed plan (Centennial Project) to mine uranium in northern Colorado near Fort Collins and Greeley, between Wellington and Nunn. Since CARD organized, at least five companies have leased mineral rights in Weld County with hopes of cashing in on the area’s uranium resources (read story). Like many areas throughout the United States, northern Colorado is under a full-scale uranium rush.

We have one goal: to protect northern Colorado from the environmental, health, and economic impacts of uranium mining. These local and regional resources are severely threatened by uranium mining:

Water - Surface, and Sub-Surface

Air Quality

Residents (Health and Welfare)

Property Values

Livestock

Wildlife

Weld County Could Be Colorado's Gateway to Uranium Mining

International demand is driving the price for uranium to record highs. Low-grade uranium exists in most areas of Colorado and when left undisturbed poses little or no danger. However, when brought to the surface and concentrated, uranium emits dangerous levels of radiation. Powertech Uranium Corp. proposes to mine within 7 miles of Wellington and Fort Collins and 16 miles of Greeley. Powertech will extract the uranium using open pit mining for the southern portion of the mining area, the area closest to Fort Collins and Greeley and plans to use in-situ leaching/recovery elsewhere in the project area (where uranium is imbedded in underground sandstone formations).

In-Situ Leaching is a Hidden Danger to the Entire Front Range

Uranium mining companies promote in-situ leaching/recovery as a benign way to mine uranium because environmental damage is not as visible on the surface as in open pit mining. In-situ leaching pumps water treated with caustic chemicals into the ground to dissolve the uranium from its sandstone layer then the resulting uranium soup, also laden with heavy metals, is pumped to the surface. Powertech's proposed mining will take place within and using water from the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer. This aquifer covers most of the Denver Basin area, approximately 7,000 square miles along the Front Range from Wyoming to Colorado Springs and east to Limon. Commercial, municipal, agricultural and residential wells use the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer extensively. As of February, 2001, prior to northern Colorado's population explosion, 33,700 recorded wells were tapped into this aquifer.

The Environmental and Health Risks are High

Spills, leaks, mechanical failures, and transportation accidents plague all types of uranium mining. A trail of hazardous materials follows the nuclear energy chain, from the mining of radioactive uranium through to the security risks surrounding the weapons useable plutonium contained in the spent fuel of nuclear power plants (http://www.ieer.org/reports/insurmountablerisks/summary.pdf). Uranium mining in northern Colorado could use and pollute millions of gallons of water per year. Humans, livestock, wildlife and agriculture could be exposed to radiation and heavy metal poisoning by ingestion through air, water and food. Wind, flooding or tornadoes could spread radioactive materials throughout Colorado.

Help Us Stop the Uranium Rush to Colorado

Information on this website will both educate you about the risks of uranium mining and describe ways you can help us stop it. With the exception of the reprinted editorials published in local newspapers, the information you'll find here (to the best of our knowledge) is factual. If you do find information that you know to be false, please contact us immediately. It is not our intention to spread misinformation, because frankly we don't have to. The truth about the potential impacts uranium mining could have on northern Colorado is shocking enough.

All feedback is welcome, and your donations of time and money are very much appreciated. Thank you for visiting NunnGlow.com.